Boomtime for private healthcare is set to continue

The most often cited reason for the rising usage of private healthcare was shorter waiting lists compared to public clinics; quality came a close second at 55%. The news comes as doctors in 250 hospitals across the country yesterday staged a walkout in demand of higher pay. Some 1.5 million people currently use private healthcare, of which some 600,000-700,000 do so under individual or corporate health plans. The value of the market for private healthcare is estimated at zl.12 billion, with health plans thought to total zl.600-700 million. "The market has so far been growing by some 20-30% annually, but favorable tax changes mean growth will accelerate, and we expect the numbers using private healthcare to reach two million by end of the year," says Joanna Swatowska-Rybak, pharma analyst at PMR, a consultancy. (Puls Biznesu, p. 6; Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 5) R.M.